Study tools

How to make an effective GMAT error log

You’ve heard us say it over and over again: it’s vital that you make an error log a part of your GMAT study plan.

The benefits are obvious. You will begin to notice trends in your work, enabling you to build problem sets with the questions that give you the most difficulty. However, test-takers can run into a number of issues when beginning their error logs, especially when it comes to choosing a template. Some test-takers will use complicated Excel documents, while others will simply mark the questions they answer incorrectly most frequently in their practice tests. The most important thing for you is to find what works best for your learning style.

What might be effective for some test-takers might not work for you, so drown out some of the noise and stick with what is getting you the best results.

No matter what template you decide to use, consider delving deeper and analyzing more than which questions you answer incorrectly. You can give yourself even better clarity about the concepts you’re struggling with most by keeping track of your accuracy, speed, and comfort level with each question type.

Also consider segmenting your error log based on the difficulty of the questions. Not only will this give you a clearer idea of where you stand on the test as a whole, but this will allow you the space to break your studying into chunks that are easier to digest. Segmenting your error log can shape your study plan into something that’s both challenging and fun at the same time, while not forcing you to master the most difficult problem sets in every study session.

Regardless of which template and which elements you decide to keep track of, your error log will be one of the most important pieces of your study plan. If you don’t already have one in place, dive right in and start learning from the mistakes you’re making on your GMAT.

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